Electric switch



March 28, 1933. H. J. HAMMERLY .1,903,180

y ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 6. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig'. .l

14 Il" jmmr/0N 40 18 16 7 .""1 VT 9 l@ ,141 .fafg '41 gfjw 311 50INVENTOR HERMAN J. HAMMERLY,

March 28, 1933. H. J. HAMMERLY 1,903,180

' ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 6. V'1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iNVENTOR HERMANJ. HAMMERLY? Patented Mar. 28, 1.933

UNITED STATES PATENT OFI-lcs HERMAN 'J'. HAMMERLY, 0F NEW BRITAN,CNNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRUM- BULL ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY,0F PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT, A

CORPRATION 0F CONNECTICUT ELECTRIC SWITCH Applicationled August 6, 1932.S'erial No. 627,692.

My invention relates to electric switches and particularly to the typecommonly known as safety or enclosed switches.

` The main object of my invention is to provide an unusually compact,durable and reliable construction.

Another object is to prbvide such 'a construction which can be made andassembled at a minimum of cost.

Another object is to provide a construction of this character in whichthe switch parts are fully protected against accidental contact when thebox is open( Another object is to provide a construction which can bereadily operated with aa snap action without danger of sticking orarcing.

Another object is to provide a construction of this character which maybe built up of units so as to operatev one, two, three or more poles ofa circuit in a single box.

Another object isto provide a switch unit which can be readily insertedin a box or removed therefrom independently of the other switch unitsand without disturbing the operating crank.

Another object is to" provide a construction in which the quick-make andbreak or snap action mechanism may be assembled in the box and testedafter which the remaining contact Carrying or fuse supporting blocks maybe inserted without disturbing the operating mechanism.

Another object lis to provide a construction of this character in whichthe protecting fuses are readily-accessible for insertion or removal..

In carrying out the invention the circuit terminals are supported by anumber of insulating blocks mounted in a suitable box or receptacle.These blocks are arranged 1n pairs which also usually carry fuse clipsor terminals. One of the blocks carries concealed switch contacts and aswitch operat` pairs of. blocks .and is detachably connected to theswltch slide. The fuses are supported in the fuse terminals infront ofor above cessible for insertion and removal. 1

Fig. 1 is a front view of a switchemhodythe crank shaft where they arereadily ac- 'ing my invention, Iparts of onemnit being shown in sectionand the cover of the box being open andpartly broken away. Y

Fig. 2 is a partial horizontal section and end view of the constructionshown in'Fig; 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the switch blocks. y

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View of one of the switch units showingit connected to a fragment ofthe supporting box.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the insulating switch supportingblock,r the insulating slide and 'some of the metal parts of one of theswitch units.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the meth- `od of supporting one ofthe switch contacts.

of thel switch are., supported respectively by the 'insulating' blocks 9and 10, which are mounted in a suitable box or receptacle 11. The fuses12'are mounted in front of or above the switch blocks anda crankshaft 13is mounted between the respective pairs of insulating blocks. Anysuitable form of actuating mechanism may be employed, such, forinstance, as the external handle 14 and snap action or quick-makeandbreak mechanism 15 which is described in detail in my Patent No.1,838,020, Serial N o. 335,250 which issued December 22, 1931.

p' Theswitch block 9 is detachably mounted in the box, being secured tothe back of the box by anchorage screws 16 and 17 which pass throughslotted lugs 18 and 19, thus permitting a considerable amount ofadjustment of the supporting block with respect to the box, the crankshaft 13 and the adjacent switch blocks.

Each switch unit has 'the spring Contact arms 20 and 21 and the contactroller 22. The latter is loosely mounted in an aperture preferably y:lngfibre strip 40 whichfis secured by one or in the insulating plate orslide 23. The stationary contacts are preferably in the form of bracketsor elbows andare mounted inA recesses24 and 25 in the block 9. Thecontact 20 isY secured in place by a screw 26 wh1ch electricallyconnects it to one arm of an angle plate 27. The other arm of this plate27 extends through the insulating block from the recess 24 to a. pointbeneath the terminal 7 which is secured to the arm by the anchoragescrew 28. The nut 28,,coacts wlth the screw 28 to hold the terminal 7and the plate 27 in place.` The `contacteL 21 is secured by a screw 29which also clam s it tothe angle plate 30. The arm 30 o this Vangleplate extends over the upper surface of the block 9 and forms a supportfor the fuse terminal .31 to which it is secured by the screw 32. Thebaseis rovided at each end with projectingv vlugs aving open ended slotssuch as 33 for the screws 28 and 32. v The-block 9 is provided with' apassageway 34 which extends entirely through the block for supportingand guiding the insulating slide 23. The central. part of this passage34 is widened'or enlarged to form grooves 35 to permit the travel of theswitch contact roller .22. The roller 22 loosely iits in the erforationy36 in the sliding plateland is con ned .in the groove 35 where it ispery mittedto travel between the contacts 20 and i 21 from theonvpositionv shown inFig. 1 to the oli position shown in Fig. 4. The slide23 is also provided with a slot v37 which is opened toward therearso asto facilitate its' readily detachable connection with the crankshaftl.v

The fuse clip or terminal 31 is described vin detail in m PatentNo.^1,851,249, Serial 40Noh501 779 w ich issued March 29, l1932.

use terminal 38 is arranged topair with a similar terminal 31 and issecured in anglsuitable manner to the terminal 8 so that, a se may bemounted in any suitable man' ner tocomplete the circuit from theterminal .7 through the angle plate 27, switch contact 20 and switchcontact roller- 22, contact 21, p angle plate 30, fuse ,terminal 31,fuse'12 and fuse terminal 38 to'terminal 8. v 5o The terminals along theupper end of the base and which are the line terminals are arded bymeans of an insulatmore c'screws' 41, which screw into the nuts m5v 28.l This guard strip reventsmccidental contactwith the termina s and atthe same time, bein removable, permits access to the Vterminals orwiring purposes. 1,

l I also preferably provide a guard plate 42 30 of insulating materialwhich is provided with passages for the insulating slides 23 and ismounted beneath the pairs of switch contacts so as to substantiallyclose the recesses 24 and 25 beneath the switch contacts when the switchis being operated to break the cirf cuit. This plate 42 thus serves toguard the switch contacts on the lower side, and thus prevent any arefrom jumping from the contacts to the operating crank.

The operating crank 13 -preferably has its ends 43 and 44 pivotallymounted 1n opposite sides of the box and may be provided with stops 45and 46 to limit its operating movement.

' It will be seen from the foregoing that each switch unit is completein itself and that it may be inserted in or removed from the boxindependently of otherswitch units andwith- 6 out disturbing the crankshaft 13. The shape of the cont-acts '20 and 21 is'such as to provide aneffective engagement with the roller 22 and the roller being looselycarried by the slide 23 readily adapts itself to a position 'of perfectvelectrical contact with both of the members'20 :passage '34and groove 35which allows lfor some circulation of air which is occasioned by themovement o f the slide or plunger 23.

The` insulating support block 10 for the load terminals may be mountedon a bracket 47 secured by screws 48. The blocks 50 may .be in one pieceor mightbe made of a number ol' sections to correspond with the number pof switch blocks `9.l The bracket 47 may be secured to the welding.

In Fig. 7 'is illustrated a form in which the lower terminal block ismade of sections such as 50, each having, for instance, offset jointscasing by screws 48 or by spot 51, 52 and fastened to the bridge strip47 by l the usual screws (not shown) passing through the holes 53.

l One Aof these sections '50 is provided to cor#l respond with eachswitch block and will support the usual fuse terminal and load terminalas shown in Fig. 1.

Block 9 isprovided at each of its opposite ends with a projecting luglike 19, each lugV having an` open-ended slot like 33; the perforationor passage 34 for the insulatingy slide extends entirely through theblock and .particular attention is calledto the fact that the lugs 19,the slot 33, the passage 34 and all of the remaining passages, holes,recesses, slots,`

ed thaty the completemolded by a single,-

contacts and the movable switching members are located underneath thefuses and their terminals and that the line and load side .wireterminals are offset at one side of the fuse terminals and thus it ispossible to construct a fused switch which is no greater in length orwidth dimensions than would be required for a no-switch fuse blockhaving the same capacity or number of poles.

i By reason of being supported between the switch blocks 9 and the fuseterminal supporting boclr l() (or blocks 50) substantially the entirebodies of' the fuses are supported in air, relatively far away frommetal parts and are thereforel much less likely-to cause any damageshould they blow out on short circuit.

ll claim:

l. An electric switch including a box, an actuating crank shaft pivotedin opposite sides of the box, an insulating block mounted in the box atone side of the crank shaft and a second block mounted in the box at theopposite side of the crank shaft, one of said blocks having a passageextending through it at right angles to the crank shaft anda contactchamber at one end of said passage, a stationary contact mounted withinsaid chamber at each side of said passage, an insulating plate slidablein said passage and-carrying a switch member adapted to connect saidcontacts, said p'ate having a slot open at one edge in which said crankshaft loosely fits, means for actuating said crank shaft and theassociated switch member, each block having a fuse clip mounted thereonand a fuse mounted in said clips and extending over the crank shaftbetween the blocks.

2. An electric switch including a box, an actuating crank shaft pivotedin the box, an insulating block mounted in the box at one side of thecrank shaft and a second block mounted in the box at the opposite sideof the crank shaft, one of said blocks having a pas-v sage extendingthrough it at right angles to the crank shaft, a contact mounted on saidblock ateach side of said passage, an insulating plate slidable in saidpassage and loosely carrying a switch member adapted to connect saidcontacts, said plate being connected to said crank shaft, means foractuating said crank shaft and the associated switch member, each blockhaving a fuse clip mounted thereon for supporting a fuse over the crankshaft said blocks being independently removable from the box with theirrespective attached parts.. 4

3. an electric switch device including a one-piece insulating bodyhaving a passage extending therethrough with a recess on each side atone end thereof, a stationary contact at each side of the passage in oneof the recesses and having an anchorage foot extending substantially atright angles to the length l of said passage, an angle member having oneend secured to the foot of one contact and its other end connected to acircuit terminal, a second angle member having one end secured to thefoot of the other contact and having one of its ends in a plane abovethe plane of said terminal each end of each angle member being securedto said body and a fuse clip connected to the. raised end and a switchmember slidable in said passage to make and break the circuit in thepassage between said stationary contacts.

' 4C. An electric switch device including a one-piece insulating bodyhaving a passage extending therethrough with a recess on each side atone end thereof, a stationarycontact at each side of the passage in oneof the recesses and having an anchorage foot extending substantially atright angles to the length of said passage, an angle member having oneend secured to the foot of one contact and its other end connected to acircuit terminal, a second angle member having one endI secured to thefoot of the other contact, a switch member slidable in said passage tomake and break the circuit in the passage between said contacts and aninsulating guard for closing the recesses adjacent the contacts andthrough vwhich a part of the switch member is movable.

5. An electric switch device including a one-piece insulating bodyhaving a passage extending therethrough with a recess 'at each side ofone end thereof, a stationary Contact at each side of the passage in oneof the recesses and having an anchorage foot extending at an angle tothe length of said passage, an angle member having one end secured tothe foot of one contact and its other end connected to a. circuitterminal., a second angle member having one end secured to the foot ofthe other contact, a fuse clip connected to the other end and a switchmember slidable in said passage between said contacts and an insulatingguard plate secured to they end of the body for 'protecting the circuitterminal said body forming the sole means for supporting and guidingsaid switch member.J

6. A switch unit including a one-piece nsulating block having asupporting lug at each end with a slot opening toward the end, aterminal recess and a fuse clip anchorage ioo recess opening at one end,contact-receiving extending entirely through the block and communicatingwith the contact-receiving recesses and for housing and guiding themovable switch member and passages extending 5 through the blockparallel to the guide passage for receiving the Contact anchorage screwsand a passage extending through the block from the terminal recess toone of the contact-receiving recesses.

8. A switch unit including an insulating block having open recesses inits opposite ends and having a guide passage extending through theblock, a circuit terminal secured in the recess in one end of the block,stationary contacts housed inthe recesses in the other end of the block-on opposite sides of the guide passage, `an insulating slide .havingits edges guided in said passage and a freely rotatable switch Contactlooselylsuppoyrted by said slide and movable between said springcontacts.

9. An electricl switch .construction including an insulating body havinga guide. passage extending entirely therethrough with a recess on eachside of oney end thereof, a contact at each side of the passage in oneof ythe recesses and having an anchorage foot extending transversely tothe length of said passage, an angle member having one end secured tothe foot of one 'contact and vits other end extending to one end of thebody, a circuit terminal secured to said extending end, .a second anglemember having one end secured to the'foot of the other contact and afuse clip connected' to its other end, a 35. switch member slidable insaid passage between saidcontacts, a second fuse clip spaced away fromarid in line with said first mentioned fuse clip and a crank shaftextending across the interior of the box between the fuse lclips andconnected to said switch member.

l0. An ,electric switch including a box, an actuating crank shaftpivoted in the box, an

` insul-ating block mounted in the box at one side of the crank shaftanda second insulat- 4 ing block mounted inthe box at the opposite ed insaid passage and having a loosely mount ed and freely rotatable switchmember for interposition between said contacts, an insulating guardplate for the circuit terminal on the upper end of the body and aninsulating guard plate beneath the contacts.

12. An electric switch including a box, an actuating crank shaft pivotedin opposite sides of he box, an insulating block mounted in the boxabove the crank shaft and a second block mounted in the box below thecrank shaft, one of said blocks having a passage extending through it atright angles to the crank shaft, a spring contact mounted in said blockon each side of said passage, an insulating plate slidable `in saidpassage and carrying a switch member adapted to connect said contacts,said plate vhaving a slot open n at one end in which said crank shaftloosely' fits, means for actuating said crank shaft and the' associatedswitchhmember with a snap action, each block having a fuse clip and afuse mounted in said clips and extending over the crank shaft betweenthe blocks.

HERMAN J. HAMMERLY.

side of the crank shaft, one of said `blocks having a guide passageextending entirely ,l

through it, a contact mounted in one end of being loosely connected tosaid crank shaft said blockat each side of said passage, an f insulatingplate slidable in said passage and carrying a freely rotatable switchmember l and quick-break means for actuating said crank shaft and theassociated switch mem-l ber.

11. A switch unit including an insulating body having a vertical passageextending therethrough, a contact housed in the lower 9 end of the bodyat'each side of said passage,

\a circuit terminal housed inthe upper edge of the body and connected toone Contact inside of the body, a ,fuse support mounted on the outerfaceof the body and connected to the other contact, an insulating slideguid-

